TRAC open house showcases career and transfer services

Certified adviser Melissa Zepeda assists forensics sophomore Brianna Ramos with finding information about Purdue University’s anthropology transfer program Sept. 21 in the transfer center on the first floor of Moody. The center is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday. Photo by Daniel Carde

Personality tests help direct students to careers that suit them.

By Robert Limon

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

It was difficult to miss the music emanating from the first floor of Moody Learning Center Monday morning.

The All-American Rejects’ song “Dirty Lil’ Secret” blasted through the transfer center as students encountered tables of free doughnuts and coffee.

This was the scene at the transfer and career center, known as SAC TRAC, during an open house attended by 239 students and staff.

Before partaking of refreshments, students were asked to sign in at the front desk with their Banner IDs and complete three steps.

Cassandra Segura, the advising team leader who coordinated this event, said the fair’s purpose was to inform students of services for transferring to a four-year university or getting career information.

“It was a great success,” she said. “The students who came by received a firsthand experience of what we can do at the centers.

“I hope this event inspires students to visit again. We would love to help them out with the answers they need.”

Students were given a raffle ticket and an information brochure at the start.

A volunteer escorted visiting students to a computer or iPad kiosk and asked which university they planned to transfer to. They then printed a degree plan from that university to give the students the requirements for transferring.

To create a better understanding of career goals and educations plans, students were asked to complete a 64-question Jung typology test.

The original Myers-Briggs exam is 93 questions long.

The shorter version classifies personalities into one of 16 unique types.

Each “personality” has its own lists for learning styles, career recommendations and famous people who share that classification.

One example of a personality type is ESFP, which stands for “extraverted-sensing-feeling-perceiving,” meaning they are typically those who enjoy socializing with others and being in the spotlight.

After students received printed results of their typology test, the final step was completing a survey for the career and transfer center.

Students got a sticker on their raffle tickets for completing each step. When three marks were acquired, students submitted the tickets for three chances to win door prizes.

Every 15 minutes, tickets were drawn for prizes, such as notebooks and pens.

The career services center offers help to undergraduate students and alumni determined to establish their career plans. They help students explore careers, and potential employers find qualified students to hire.

The transfer center helps students with admissions to a university.

The staff can arrange appointments with university representatives for one-on-one sessions.

The hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. the first Saturday of every month.